Synagogue Shooting

Synagogue01

Items hang from a police roadblock near the Tree of Life Synagogue on Monday, October 29, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. 11 people were killed in a mass shooting as they worshiped at the synagogue on Saturday morning. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue02

Kris Kepler of Hazelwood, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, joins other mourners in front of the Tree of Life Synagogue on Sunday, October 28, 2018 where 11 people were killed in a mass shooting on Saturday morning. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. Kepler is a member of Tree of Life and regularly attends on Saturdays. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue03

Bob Goldstein, 71, of Squirrel Hill walks past memorials in front of the Tree of Life Synagogue on Monday, October 29, 2018. 11 people were killed in a mass shooting on Saturday at the synagogue. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. Goldstein has attended the Tree of Life for his entire life and knew 8 of the victims. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue04

Aharon Ariel Lavi, 36, of Shuva, Israel writes a message in chalk as he visits a makeshift memorial near the Tree of Life Synagogue on Monday, October 29, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. 11 people were killed in a mass shooting as they worshiped at the synagogue on Saturday morning. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. Lavi was in New York City on business when he heard of the shooting and drove 6 hours to Pittsburgh to pay his respects. "We are one family," he said. "I just had to be here." CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue05

Sheila May-Stein of Wilkins Township hugs a fellow mourner after a supporter of President Trump upset her as she visited a makeshift memorial near the Tree of Life Synagogue on Monday, October 29, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. 11 people were killed in a mass shooting as they worshiped at the synagogue on Saturday morning. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue06

Mourners join a vigil on Saturday evening in Squirrel Hill where 11 people were killed in a mass shooting earlier in the day at the Tree of Life Synagogue on Saturday, October 27, 2018. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue07

People watch as several thousand people pass by their home in a solidarity march in response to the visit by President Trump to Pittsburgh in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue08

People join a solidarity march in response to the visit by President Trump to Pittsburgh and the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue09

PITTSBURGH, PA - OCT 30: A woman is comforted by a man in a tense moment during a solidarity march in response to the visit by President Trump to Pittsburgh in the wake of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. (Photo by Justin Merriman/For The Washington Post)

Synagogue10

Mourners leave flowers and other items at a makeshift memorial near the Tree of Life Synagogue on Monday, October 29, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. 11 people were killed in a mass shooting as they worshiped at the synagogue on Saturday morning. Six others were injured as well including four police officers who responded to the incident. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue11

People join a solidarity march in response to the visit by President Trump to Pittsburgh and the Tree of Life Synagogue on Tuesday, October 30, 2018 in Pittsburgh's Squirrel Hill neighborhood. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue12

Tree of Life Synagogue shooting victim, Joyce Fienberg, will be buried next to her husband at the Tree of Life Memorial Park on Monday afternoon, October 29, 2018 in Pittsburgh's North Hills. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue13

The funeral procession of Richard Gottfried makes its way to the New Light Cemetery on Thursday, November 1, 2018. Gottfried was one of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting victims. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue14

Mourners gather around the gravesite of Irving Younger, one of the victims of the Tree of Life Synagogue shooting, at Shaare Torah Cemetery on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 in Brentwood. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Synagogue15

A mourner stands outside of Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Museum watching a livestream on a cell phone of the vigil to remember the victims of the Squirrel Hill mass shooting on Sunday evening. The hall was filled to capacity and hundreds more gathered outside. CREDIT: Justin Merriman/American Reportage

Mass Shooting at the Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue

Photography by Justin Merriman

The Tree of Life Congregation Synagogue sits in the heart of a vibrant Jewish community in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood.

On October 27th, it became the site of the deadliest attack against the Jewish community in American history.

Law enforcement alleges that Robert Bowers, 46, stormed into the synagogue during Sabbath prayers armed with an AR-15 style assault rifle and at least three handguns shouting anti-Semitic slurs as he opened fire.

11 worshippers were killed and six others injured including four police officers.

We welcome insightful comments regarding the issues illustrated in this story: Cancel reply

Post navigation

Represented Member Photojournalists

Kathleen Flynn

Based in the US SouthCurrently in Rochester, NYAvailable for Assignments Nationwide
504.259.4515EMAILBIO

Adria Malcolm

Based in the US SouthwestAvailable for Assignments Nationwide
505.269.3460EMAILBIO

Pete Marovich

Based in the US Mid-AtlanticAvailable for Assignments Nationwide
540.560.3681EMAILBIO

Justin Merriman

Based in the US NortheastAvailable for Assignments Nationwide
412.926.8994EMAILBIO

Brian Plonka

Based in the US Pacific NorthwestAvailable for Assignments Nationwide
208.819.1711EMAILBIO

Jeff Swensen

Based in the US NortheastAvailable for Assignments Nationwide
412.638.2128EMAILBIO

Our Advisors

Mark Murrmann

Mark Murrmann is the photo editor at Mother Jones. He came to the magazine in 2007 with a background as a photojournalist.

He was named one of Lürzer Archives' 200 Best Advertising Photographers of 2010/11 and was chosen for American Photography 27 and 29.

Mark is a contract photographer with ZUMA Press.

Nikki Kahn

Nikki Kahn is a photojournalist based in Washington, D.C.

She won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News Photography in 2011 with her colleagues at The Washington Post "for their up-close portrait of grief and desperation after a catastrophic earthquake struck Haiti."

Before joining the Washington Post in 2005, Kahn worked for Knight-Ridder Tribune Photo Service in Washington D.C. as a lead photographer and editor.

Kahn has covered stories both nationally and internationally.

John Kaplan

University of Florida Professor John Kaplan’s honors include the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography, POY National Newspaper Photographer of the Year, the Overseas Press Club Award for Feature Photography, two Robert F. Kennedy Awards for Outstanding Coverage of the Disadvantaged, and the Nikon Documentary Sabbatical Grant.

Kaplan has been named a Fulbright Scholar and has served a juror for the Pulitzer Prizes, Pictures of the Year International and the Best of Photojournalism. He is the author of two books, Photo Portfolio Success and Mom and Me.

Kaplan’s autobiographical film, Not As I Pictured, has appeared nationwide on PBS and has won the CINE Golden Eagle Award and several Best Documentary honors. His work is exhibited at museums and galleries worldwide.​